Let's Tell Las Cruces Officials to STOP Pressuring NMSU to Suppress Free Speech
Dear Las Crucens, As mentioned in the last email, New Mexico State University is being pressured by our City and State elected officials to restrict free speech on campus. This is in response to Matt Walsh speaking at NMSU recently. Senators Hamblen and Soules, Representative Rubio, Mayor Pro Tem Gandara, and Las Cruces City Councilors Graham, Corran, and Bencomo, and County Commissioners Schaljo-Hernandez and Reynolds all signed a letter against the University having allowed this event to occur. Today there was a meeting between Senator Hamblen, most of the officials who signed the letter, NMSU President Gogue and numerous other NMSU staff members, and Jewel Navarette and Ben (from Young America's Foundation). Juan Garcia (CCIA) and I were in attendance at this meeting. NMSU was asked by Senator Hamblen to explain:
how NMSU is supporting trans and queer students (as well as other "vulnerable" students),
how the Matt Walsh event was approved,
how NMSU is going to show that Matt Walsh does not represent the values of NMSU or Las Cruces, and
how NMSU will set the tone and narrative about supporting trans and queer people in the wider Las Cruces community.
PLEASE EMAIL Las Cruces Elected Officials to Urge Them to Uphold the Right to Free Speech
Will you please give 3 minutes to email Senators Hamblen and Soules, Representative Rubio, Mayor Pro Tem Gandara, Las Cruces City Councilors Graham, Corran, and Bencomo, and County Commissioners Schaljo-Hernandez and Reynolds to express your concerns that they are pressuring NMSU to suppress free speech?
Email addresses: carrie.hamblen@nmlegis.gov, bill.soules@nmlegis.gov, angelica.rubio@nmlegis.gov, kgandara@las-cruces.org, bgraham@las-cruces.org, bcorran@las-cruces.org, jbencomo@las-cruces.org, schaljohernandez@donaanacounty.org, sreynolds@donaanacounty.org
Your communication will be most effective if you are respectful, polite, and avoid using political talking points or derogatory language.
Please customize your message. You can use this as a starting point:
The right to free speech is one of our most important rights, as protected by the US Constitution and the NM State Constitution. It is not proper for you to use your official office to suppress free speech at NMSU. Whether you agree with Matt Walsh’s message or not is irrelevant. Opposing viewpoints are important. They allow us to weigh both sides of an issue, and the right to do this is essential to a free society. Please uphold our rights to free speech as our elected representatives. Standing with you in solidarity, Sarah Smith Free People of the Southwest (local) New Mexico Freedoms Alliance (statewide)
